The present invention starts out from an electric connector having a coupling part and a plug part, which can be inserted in an opening of the coupling part; the outer side of the coupling part having at least one locking surface on it, with which a locking element mounted on the plug part engages, in the plugged-in state; and the locking element including a bending arm pointing away from the plug part, and a lever running transversely to the bending arm, so that the lever can be guided around the bending arm in a springlike manner, from a normal position into a release position, and then back into the normal position.
In the case of electric connectors, which include a plug part and a coupling part adapted to this plug part, it is known to provide appropriate interlocking devices that prevent the connector from being released unintentionally. These interlocking devices are usually designed as elastic elements, such as springs, hooks, and the like, which engage with the locking element in response to closing the plug connection.
When these connectors are subjected to high mechanical stresses, e.g. in the case of connectors on board a motor vehicle, it is necessary to reinforce the elements required for locking, so that the considerable mechanical stresses on the plug connection do not detach the connector during the operation of the motor vehicle.
In the connector design described here, the related art especially provides for reinforcing the bending arm, e.g. by increasing the cross-section or selecting a different plastic. However, this results in the disadvantage of the connector only being guidable with increased expenditure of force, since the connection between the lever arm and the bending arm is very stiff, and therefore, the lever arm can only be moved from a normal position into a release position, and back again, by applying this greater force. On the other hand, connectors are proposed in which the bending arm is designed to be xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d. This means that the bending arm may have a small cross-section, or that a very flexible plastic is used to form the bending arm. This design of a bending arm has the disadvantage of the locking connection being automatically released, particularly in response to a temperature change or vibrational forces, so that the plug part and coupling part detach from one another.
Therefore, an object of the present invention consists in providing an electric connector, in which the locking connection has an increased locking force, while the force required to release the locking connection is smaller.
The achievement principal of the object consists in further developing a locking connection known per se for electric connectors, in such a manner, that the locking connection is especially not released in response to tensile loads on the plug part. This is accomplished by using a stop element to limit the movement of the locking element.
In order to achieve the object, it is proposed that a stop element be arranged on the side of the bending arm that faces the coupling part of the electric connector, in the plugged-in state; the stop element being designed in such a manner, that the movement of the bending arm is restricted in the direction of the stop, and the horizontal sweep of the bending arm away from the stop element is not hindered.
One fundamental advantage of the present invention is that the interaction of the xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d bending-arm design with the stop element of the present invention prevents stresses occurring on the locking connection, and the deformation resulting therefrom, from releasing the lever arm from the locking element. Another fundamental advantage of the design according to the present invention is that the horizontal sweeping motion of the bending arm to release the locking connection can be brought about without hindrance, and the xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d design of the bending arm also allows this motion to be effected without increased expenditure of force.
The stop element is advantageously positioned in direct proximity to the bending arm, and is preferably formed as one piece with the plug part.